View Full Version : After we get 2.5” of rain, I see many homes running their sprinkler systems
rsmurano
07-01-2024, 05:03 AM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
Ignatz
07-01-2024, 05:08 AM
Well sure BUT who got 2.5 inches of rain?
RICH1
07-01-2024, 05:17 AM
my Rainbird is Wi-fi , no mechanical Rain sensors.. all rain detected from local weather radar...I love the fact that I can operate my controller from anywhere in the world , that i have wifi... I was in Nuka Hiva and decided to try this feature..i paid just under 100.00 bucks for the controller.
asianthree
07-01-2024, 05:34 AM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
It’s probably hard to except the concept, that TV is not just your village. We definitely didn’t get the 2.5” that rained on you. I have seen it rain across the prairie but not at our house.
Maybe you could stick with your small area, have a neighbor meeting, about helping your neighbors, instead of criticizing.
You could offer to switch their controller to a smart one. Which you posted is only 5 minutes to change. You could save the water usage for your neighbors. Then could educate on use, and do follow up monthly on how their system works. Because not everyone is going to understand the concept.
We have a smart irrigation system, that ran last week, my pool needs a top off, could you just send down the clouds, to take care of that? Oh and a rainbow would be a nice ending :a040:
frayedends
07-01-2024, 06:40 AM
I have a Rachio and I tried letting it use the weather to adjust my schedule. I’m part time so not there to see every drop of rain. Well my lawn almost died and luckily my lawn guy said it wasn’t getting enough water.
The problem with the weather reports seem to be that it adjusts on the forecast and not actual rain. In addition to that, we all know that a neighbor 2 houses away can be getting a downpour while your house has nothing.
I put mine on a schedule and if I know we got a bunch of rain I’ll adjust. But I don’t always remember.
Plus our irrigation is reclaimed water. It is basically going right back where it came from.
asianthree
07-01-2024, 06:54 AM
I have a Rachio and I tried letting it use the weather to adjust my schedule. I’m part time so not there to see every drop of rain. Well my lawn almost died and luckily my lawn guy said it wasn’t getting enough water.
The problem with the weather reports seem to be that it adjusts on the forecast and not actual rain. In addition to that, we all know that a neighbor 2 houses away can be getting a downpour while your house has nothing.
I put mine on a schedule and if I know we got a bunch of rain I’ll adjust. But I don’t always remember.
Plus our irrigation is reclaimed water. It is basically going right back where it came from.
A easy fix When we were part time our exterior cameras, would go off in heavy rains. Even though we had smart irrigation, some weeks rain wasn’t enough. I could adjust because sometimes we only got 5 minutes of rain.
Not only could I see how many times it rained, I could see the lawn guy, and whoever walked the yard, including the occasional bear, bobcat, one gator and mama duck with all her babies coming up from the pond. Our home watch would wave as he walked in, and could talk to us if needed. Cameras are you unpaid guardian, of your home.
ThirdOfFive
07-01-2024, 07:08 AM
2.5"? Maybe somewhere, in some isolated spots. But this is Florida. There can be a torrential downpour in one spot while another spot maybe a mile away can be dry as a bone.
I have our system on manual, with my eyes supplying the "data". During the rainy season I'll water after two dry days after a good rain (not a sprinkle) and follow that cycle pretty regularly. Winter, twice a week: usually Thursday and Saturday mornings before dawn.
wisbad1
07-01-2024, 07:14 AM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
$84. not bad, but $168. for the wi-fi module besides? Too much $$$
frayedends
07-01-2024, 07:19 AM
A easy fix When we were part time our exterior cameras, would go off in heavy rains. Even though we had smart irrigation, some weeks rain wasn’t enough. I could adjust because sometimes we only got 5 minutes of rain.
Not only could I see how many times it rained, I could see the lawn guy, and whoever walked the yard, including the occasional bear, bobcat, one gator and mama duck with all her babies coming up from the pond. Our home watch would wave as he walked in, and could take to us if needed. Cameras are you unpaid guardian, of your home.
I’ve got cameras but it’s hit or miss if I catch the rain. Busy life unfortunately because we are not yet retired. The cameras go off for all sorts of things.
Kelevision
07-01-2024, 07:24 AM
The one that came with my house works just fine if you program it correctly. My neighbor on one side goes off daily. Clearly they have it set to that and to bypass the rain sensor. It’s the home owner, not the product.
OrangeBlossomBaby
07-01-2024, 08:18 AM
A pipe busted on our system so we now use a hose sprinkler and the hose itself. All manual, nothing underground anymore.
frayedends
07-01-2024, 08:29 AM
The one that came with my house works just fine if you program it correctly. My neighbor on one side goes off daily. Clearly they have it set to that and to bypass the rain sensor. It’s the home owner, not the product.
The rain sensors with the leather pads inside are useless. I’ve had 2 homes with those and they never worked.
Pondboy
07-01-2024, 08:32 AM
We’re just a wasteful society.
People don’t care that they are wasting natural resources. The OP has a point, if it’s raining at your house, turn off the irrigation system. If it didn’t rain, sorry. I understand the disappointment. But if it did, and you got 2”, please turn off your irrigation.
Become more involved in helping to save the planet for future generations. Being “Green” is not cheap, easy or convenient. There is technology readily available to prevent your lawn from being overwatered. No excuses.
JGibson
07-01-2024, 08:59 AM
We’re just a wasteful society. People don’t care that they are wasting natural resources. The OP has a point, if it’s raining at your house, turn off the irrigation system. Become more involved in helping to save the planet for future generations. WTF…. Is it that hard?
Or here is an idea.....allow desert lawns.
vintageogauge
07-01-2024, 09:04 AM
The rain sensors with the leather pads inside are useless. I’ve had 2 homes with those and they never worked.
Mine still work after 7 years.
vintageogauge
07-01-2024, 09:05 AM
We’re just a wasteful society. People don’t care that they are wasting natural resources. The OP has a point, if it’s raining at your house, turn off the irrigation system. Become more involved in helping to save the planet for future generations. WTF…. Is it that hard?
What's to save it's re-claimed waste water and that is why it was re-claimed.
michgary
07-01-2024, 09:58 AM
omg i was thinking of moving to TV,, but this is a way too complicated place to live
justjim
07-01-2024, 10:10 AM
I stay in my lane and don’t get excited about what others are doing with their yard watering.
Battlebasset
07-01-2024, 11:26 AM
I can see the advantage, but it isn't hard for me turn off/adjust if we are getting a good amount of rain. Just because you can automate/wi-fi something doesn't mean you should.
Pondboy
07-01-2024, 11:43 AM
What's to save it's re-claimed waste water and that is why it was re-claimed.
Save it for those days/weeks/months when we won’t get any rain…..
Altavia
07-01-2024, 11:49 AM
Also have not had success with the "Smart Watering" option. Rainfall is too variable here.
I'm looking at getting something like this to measure rain when away.
https://a.co/d/01j0iJhG
Shipping up to Boston
07-01-2024, 12:23 PM
omg i was thinking of moving to TV,, but this is a way too complicated place to live
Stay logged in.....it only gets better!
Miboater
07-01-2024, 12:56 PM
I have a Rachio and I tried letting it use the weather to adjust my schedule. I’m part time so not there to see every drop of rain. Well my lawn almost died and luckily my lawn guy said it wasn’t getting enough water.
The problem with the weather reports seem to be that it adjusts on the forecast and not actual rain. In addition to that, we all know that a neighbor 2 houses away can be getting a downpour while your house has nothing.
I put mine on a schedule and if I know we got a bunch of rain I’ll adjust. But I don’t always remember.
Plus our irrigation is reclaimed water. It is basically going right back where it came from.
If you have a Rachio controller there is a setting to change the weather source. If you go into settings, controller settings, weather source, select station and then personal. You will see a list of Rachio users that have their own backyard weather stations and you should see a list of weather stations that are in your area and how far away they are located. I am connected to one that is 0.1 mile away but there are five as close as 0.5 miles away. I find this a lot more accurate and they also have rain gauges that you can see if you are wondering how much rain we received. It works well being north for my last summer before being full time this September.
Velvet
07-01-2024, 01:42 PM
omg i was thinking of moving to TV,, but this is a way too complicated place to live
Not at all. I set my irrigation for 6 months at a time (rainy season or dry season). No problem. If lawn looks dry I increase watering one day (takes 30 seconds to change the controller panel) or if water bill is too high I decrease 1 day. Works fine for years. I don’t check daily pond levels, or rain forecasts, or if the neighbor has his sprinkler on. It’s like your room temperature thermostat, you could change it every hour for each room or just set it at one comfortable setting all the time.
Shipping up to Boston
07-01-2024, 01:52 PM
Not at all. I set my irrigation for 6 months at a time (rainy season or dry season). No problem. If lawn looks dry I increase watering one day (takes 30 seconds to change the controller panel) or if water bill is too high I decrease 1 day. Works fine for years. I don’t check daily pond levels, or rain forecasts, or if the neighbor has his sprinkler on. It’s like your room temperature thermostat, you could change it every hour for each room or just set it at one comfortable setting all the time.
As a betting man....i'd say the poster you're responding to was being a teeny weeny...facetious!
frayedends
07-01-2024, 04:49 PM
If you have a Rachio controller there is a setting to change the weather source. If you go into settings, controller settings, weather source, select station and then personal. You will see a list of Rachio users that have their own backyard weather stations and you should see a list of weather stations that are in your area and how far away they are located. I am connected to one that is 0.1 mile away but there are five as close as 0.5 miles away. I find this a lot more accurate and they also have rain gauges that you can see if you are wondering how much rain we received. It works well being north for my last summer before being full time this September.
Ahh, found it. Thanks. I read about that before but could not find it in the settings. Thanks for the detailed description. I've updated to a station 1.5 miles away. I've also put it back on the flex daily schedule. Now that we are finally getting rain I can water let the system do it's thing.
Gpsma
07-01-2024, 05:05 PM
How do you “waste” water?
LeRoySmith
07-01-2024, 05:10 PM
Oh and a rainbow would be a nice ending :a040:
I'm afraid all the rainbows have been spoken for by the endothurmophyumatairisns.
Altavia
07-01-2024, 06:19 PM
Ahh, found it. Thanks. I read about that before but could not find it in the settings. Thanks for the detailed description. I've updated to a station 1.5 miles away. I've also put it back on the flex daily schedule. Now that we are finally getting rain I can water let the system do it's thing.
Speaking from experience, keep an eye on it. 1.5mi is too far away in FL.
FYI, many of the stations are Tempest which use "haptic" sensing for rain which means they measure the sound of rain drops striking the unit. This can be wildly inaccurate.
Topspinmo
07-01-2024, 08:45 PM
A pipe busted on our system so we now use a hose sprinkler and the hose itself. All manual, nothing underground anymore.
Do know where pipe busted? Not that hard to fix. Mine has been busted by underground cable contractors. Finley had to run relocated line along villa wall away from street.
Topspinmo
07-01-2024, 08:46 PM
How do you “waste” water?
Well can waste money letting run down street drains for 30 mins each station.
Topspinmo
07-01-2024, 08:48 PM
What's to save it's re-claimed waste water and that is why it was re-claimed.
Money if letting run down street drain with double charge.
midiwiz
07-02-2024, 05:15 AM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
Seriously????? WHO CARES!
ChicagoNative
07-02-2024, 05:28 AM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
Start a rain watchers club and get that number up to 3001! :coolsmiley::coolsmiley::duck:
jimdecastro
07-02-2024, 05:29 AM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
What brand goes in in five minutes? Everybody I know who bought one says they loved theirs, but the installation was a bear. I had a Hunter in New York so when I got here, I was happy. But the Wi-Fi adapter does not work for many people. Including me.
RAHBM
07-02-2024, 05:33 AM
I am retired. Toooo much unwanted Tech Info for me! :cus:
La lamy
07-02-2024, 05:53 AM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
Totally agree. Better yet, try turning off your sprinkler system altogether. Mine has been off for years and the lawn is fine. It's Florida, things grow easily!!!
Mrmean58
07-02-2024, 06:00 AM
It’s probably hard to except the concept, that TV is not just your village. We definitely didn’t get the 2.5” that rained on you. I have seen it rain across the prairie but not at our house.
Maybe you could stick with your small area, have a neighbor meeting, about helping your neighbors, instead of criticizing.
You could offer to switch their controller to a smart one. Which you posted is only 5 minutes to change. You could save the water usage for your neighbors. Then could educate on use, and do follow up monthly on how their system works. Because not everyone is going to understand the concept.
We have a smart irrigation system, that ran last week, my pool needs a top off, could you just send down the clouds, to take care of that? Oh and a rainbow would be a nice ending :a040:
Oh sure. Let's confuse the issue with some facts.
frayedends
07-02-2024, 06:06 AM
What brand goes in in five minutes? Everybody I know who bought one says they loved theirs, but the installation was a bear. I had a Hunter in New York so when I got here, I was happy. But the Wi-Fi adapter does not work for many people. Including me.
I'm sure the 5 minutes was an exaggeration. My Rachio took almost 10 minutes to install and another 10 to program.
Sunrise Beach
07-02-2024, 06:09 AM
We just overseeded our lawn with particular interest in some bare spots. We have been instructed to keep the seed moist until germination so need to water more frequently.
banjobob
07-02-2024, 06:18 AM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
I suppose most of us are not that concerned
if rain and sprinklers combine to water.
TheWatcher
07-02-2024, 06:21 AM
If you have a Rachio controller there is a setting to change the weather source. If you go into settings, controller settings, weather source, select station and then personal. You will see a list of Rachio users that have their own backyard weather stations and you should see a list of weather stations that are in your area and how far away they are located. I am connected to one that is 0.1 mile away but there are five as close as 0.5 miles away. I find this a lot more accurate and they also have rain gauges that you can see if you are wondering how much rain we received. It works well being north for my last summer before being full time this September.
The personal weather station that works with the Rachio is the Tempest unit:
Tempest Weather System (https://shop.tempest.earth/products/tempest?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyo60BhBiEiwAHmVLJYrtzDurIYhteSCet1dx aCNIlc_t9zc706arVABMmb4LwsK8P6fqkBoCTbEQAvD_BwE)
You can then set your Rachio to suspend irrigation depending on the amount of actual rainfall at the weather station on your property.
Get it if you are a gadget junkie or just connect to a nearby unit. Amazon Prime days coming up...
There are personal weather stations all over TV. Just look at Weather Undergound.
Here is my station:
Tempest (https://tempestwx.com/station/83573)
Shipping up to Boston
07-02-2024, 06:24 AM
I'm sure the 5 minutes was an exaggeration. My Rachio took almost 10 minutes to install and another 10 to program.
Where do you go to get that 20 minutes of your life back!
Altavia
07-02-2024, 06:34 AM
The personal weather station that works with the Rachio is the Tempest unit:
Tempest Weather System (https://shop.tempest.earth/products/tempest?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyo60BhBiEiwAHmVLJYrtzDurIYhteSCet1dx aCNIlc_t9zc706arVABMmb4LwsK8P6fqkBoCTbEQAvD_BwE)
You can then set your Rachio to suspend irrigation depending on the amount of actual rainfall at the weather station on your property.
Get it if you are a gadget junkie or just connect to a nearby unit. Amazon Prime days coming up...
There are personal weather stations all over TV. Just look at Weather Undergound.
Here is my station:
Tempest (https://tempestwx.com/station/83573)
How accurate have your rainfall measurements been?
capecoralbill
07-02-2024, 07:01 AM
The rain sensors with the leather pads inside are useless. I’ve had 2 homes with those and they never worked.
my house is 24 years old, my Hunter with the leather pads rain sensor it's still working.
I have Xfinity Wi-Fi at my house, and it does not reach all the way into the garage, so there's that.
Paula
07-02-2024, 07:03 AM
We had an Accurite rain gauge - wifi but not smart phone connected - til it died recently. And then our ancient sprinkler system controller died. Replaced controller with a smart one. One problem, as mentioned earlier, is it relies on rain forecast, rather than actual rain. Installed free RainDrop app on phone, and it gives rain measurement at a specific location, ie our house. We've had only .26 in the last 48 hours, as opposed to several inches nearby! Sprinkler controller wants to stop sprinkling due to the surrounding forecast. We'll keep the app.
dolphin
07-02-2024, 07:07 AM
OR. You can just shut it off When it rains.
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
aces_04
07-02-2024, 08:05 AM
You do you and realize there may be reasons for not upgraing to a SMART system.
“Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller”.
1.Some may struggling to make ends meet. Upgrading to a SMART is the least of their priorities. “.. you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins.
2.Not everyone is able to utilize the features by mobile phone.
3. A suggestion for you, reread your post. Judging others is offensive. YOU DO YOU!
huge-pigeons
07-02-2024, 08:27 AM
It’s not smart if it’s a manual process
jrref
07-02-2024, 08:55 AM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
The external rain sensors typically last about 5 years or so and most have no idea if it's working or not or even what and where the rain sensor is. This is why you see people watering after we have significant rain. It's because their rain sensor has failed.
The smart controllers do a good job but the weather forcast here in Florida is so random that I have my external rain sensor connected to my Rachio. This makes sure that if we do get 1/4 inch of rain or more and the forecast shows none that the Rachio knows and doesn't water.
HORNET
07-02-2024, 09:36 AM
Second house here has a Hunter( 6 year old) works fine, Between season Al setting and rain detector on roof! When we ( if here ) get a severe storm, I just go out and shut it off . Sometimes for several weeks, especially in late fall and winter!
OhioBuckeye
07-02-2024, 09:41 AM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
I think they must have their rain gauge turned to a point that it shows no rain got into gauge to tell system they got no rain, then irrigation system will come on!
Indydealmaker
07-02-2024, 10:10 AM
We’re just a wasteful society.
People don’t care that they are wasting natural resources. The OP has a point, if it’s raining at your house, turn off the irrigation system. If it didn’t rain, sorry. I understand the disappointment. But if it did, and you got 2”, please turn off your irrigation.
Become more involved in helping to save the planet for future generations. Being “Green” is not cheap, easy or convenient. There is technology readily available to prevent your lawn from being overwatered. No excuses.
What waste? Irrigation water not consumed by vegetation returns to groundwater or to stormwater ponds for reuse for irrigation while providing an ecosystem for wildlife.
Jim1mack
07-02-2024, 10:29 AM
There’s an app called PWS Monitor where you can find home that have a Personal Weather Station that is hooked up to this app. Each station provides weather information that their station measures. You can also put a rain gauge in your yard.
I just turned my irrigation system yesterday after being off for two weeks because of all the almost daily rain we’ve been receiving.
rsmurano
07-02-2024, 12:43 PM
The smart part of this process is not what a person can do, it’s what the system can do for you. I have my system programmed where it doesn’t go off if it’s windy < 16mph, if the prediction of rain is < 60%, if we got over .4” of rain. If we got .25” of rain, it will automatically adjust the runtimes per station.
Also, you can look at the calendar in the app and see when it’s going to come on and what each zone is going to run for.
CybrSage
07-02-2024, 12:45 PM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller...
Go ahead and buy one for everyone if you are this concerned.
BettyInFL
07-02-2024, 01:09 PM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
Last week, saw rain in front yard, but not out the back. The smart sprinklers look at how much HAS RAINED WHERE THEIR Sensor is. Don't judge others. Ours hasn't run for quite some time.
jasamy2
07-02-2024, 01:58 PM
2.5” in what neighborhood?
Shipping up to Boston
07-02-2024, 02:17 PM
2.5” in what neighborhood?
The Village of.....Grenada!
kcrazorbackfan
07-02-2024, 02:49 PM
2.5"? Maybe somewhere, in some isolated spots. But this is Florida. There can be a torrential downpour in one spot while another spot maybe a mile away can be dry as a bone.
I have our system on manual, with my eyes supplying the "data". During the rainy season I'll water after two dry days after a good rain (not a sprinkle) and follow that cycle pretty regularly. Winter, twice a week: usually Thursday and Saturday mornings before dawn.
Same here. Living here full time, I will turn it to manual after a good rain and then water as needed or turn it back off manual if it starts getting dry.
Altavia
07-02-2024, 04:19 PM
There’s an app called PWS Monitor where you can find home that have a Personal Weather Station that is hooked up to this app. Each station provides weather information that their station measures. You can also put a rain gauge in your yard.
I just turned my irrigation system yesterday after being off for two weeks because of all the almost daily rain we’ve been receiving.
Good tip.
For when I'm away, I set PWS Monitor to five of the closest personal weather stations and watch them to know when it rains to adjust my irrigation controller accordingly.
MorTech
07-02-2024, 04:23 PM
Of all things to fret about. Florida has one of the most productive aquafers on earth. It ain't the Sahara.
Disconnect the worthless solar sync wire and set the controller to water 50 minutes every 4 days...And then go do other things.
Why people spend so much time and money on their lawn seems a waste...Especially if you have almost-impossible-to-kill empire zoysia.
Teemotay
07-02-2024, 04:25 PM
Same here. Living here full time, I will turn it to manual after a good rain and then water as needed or turn it back off manual if it starts getting dry.
I’m kind of a lawn nerd. I bought a cheap rain gauge and if I get 1” of rain a week then I don’t irrigate. That’s about what healthy St Augustine grass needs to thrive.
I keep a journal of my mowing and rainfall on a lawn app so I know when to turn the irrigation on. Mine has been off since early June.
I’ve attached some pictures of the gauge, my lawn and a journal shot. Like I said, I’m a lawn nerd….
Vinscalese
07-02-2024, 05:07 PM
I just completed a lifestyle visit and the home I stayed in had a rain sensor.
Altavia
07-02-2024, 05:32 PM
Of all things to fret about. Florida has one of the most productive aquafers on earth. It ain't the Sahara.
Disconnect the worthless solar sync wire and set the controller to water 50 minutes every 4 days...And then go do other things.
Why people spend so much time and money on their lawn seems a waste...Especially if you have almost-impossible-to-kill empire zoysia.
Good advise.
But if it rains, I like to reset the 4 day clock.
Recently discovered the grass loves Lesco palm fertilizer 😎
Altavia
07-02-2024, 05:34 PM
I just completed a lifestyle visit and the home I stayed in had a rain sensor.
The rain sensors is dry out too fast in the Florida sun, so they’re practically useless
PhilG
07-03-2024, 05:15 AM
The water "waste" is trivial. Get a hobby or take up pickleball.
jrref
07-03-2024, 06:48 AM
After reading all these responses I can't believe all the manual work people are doing to irregate their lawns.
The easiest way to "set it and forget it" is to get a Rachio smart controller and replace your hard wired rain sensor with a new one. You can get the Orbit one from Lowes or Amazon.
The reason for Rachio is they have a feature where you can sync your controller to a weather station near your house and use that to determine how much rain you actually got. You would be surprised just how many local weather stations set up by homeowners there are here in the Villages.
I'm sure other smart controllers have a similar function but once you set this all up you don't have to be aware of how much rain you are getting, just let the Rachio take care of everything. You will have to check the Rachio from time to time to make sure it's doing everything correctly but they recently changed there rain anticipating algorithm and it works very well.
TheWatcher
07-03-2024, 06:49 AM
How accurate have your rainfall measurements been?
Better than can be measured with a tube type manual system which cannot be used when I am not there.
The haptic system measures the drops as they strike its surface (somewhat like your phone touchscreen) so no mechanical parts like a traditional system. When you connect to the network, the amounts are adjusted with an algorithm that uses nearby and area wide station data that is used to calibrate your unit.
A lot of our rainfall is very irregularly patterned but that is the nature of the thunderstorm cells that predominate the rainy season in central Florida. So good enough for me and certainly matches any other methods I know.
Altavia
07-03-2024, 11:50 AM
Better than can be measured with a tube type manual system which cannot be used when I am not there.
The haptic system measures the drops as they strike its surface (somewhat like your phone touchscreen) so no mechanical parts like a traditional system. When you connect to the network, the amounts are adjusted with an algorithm that uses nearby and area wide station data that is used to calibrate your unit.
A lot of our rainfall is very irregularly patterned but that is the nature of the thunderstorm cells that predominate the rainy season in central Florida. So good enough for me and certainly matches any other methods I know.
Thanks for the info!
I just installed one but it isn't measuring rain so they are sending a replacent.
Also unable so far too get bHyve to see it, or other local stations I can see with PWS Monitor.
wisbad1
07-03-2024, 01:16 PM
A pipe busted on our system so we now use a hose sprinkler and the hose itself. All manual, nothing underground anymore.
That water is cheaper than the garbage we use to water our lawns
TVTVTV
07-03-2024, 02:30 PM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
TV has programs to educate us and preach about conserving water, yet (without spending $$ for additional systems) I gave to waste so much water waiting for hot water for every shower, no matter what time of year. I'm just glad I'm not in AZ where water is a scarce commodity.
Pairadocs
07-03-2024, 02:36 PM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
It's very common for The Villages to have all, or many of their sprinklers ON after, and many times DURING very heavy rains. This has prompted disbelief for years, but the explanation given is that it's an automated program that can significantly prevent flooding of one or more retention ponds. Not uncommon to drive down a main thoroughfare in a heavy downpour and see all watering systems along both sides in full operation.
Pairadocs
07-03-2024, 02:43 PM
That water is cheaper than the garbage we use to water our lawns
I'm all for that ! When we built our home it was MANDATORY (we'd "been there done that" with auto systems and found them unreliable and expensive, but told it was mandatory). I STILL dread the SMELL of the water from our system and always try my best to avoid getting it on my... difficult at times because it's easier to adjust a head exactly as you want it unless it's running, but the water is REALLY NASTY especially if you get some in the FACE ! :22yikes::22yikes:
brianherlihy
07-04-2024, 06:05 AM
i will water all i want after the trolls just wont stop
Topspinmo
07-04-2024, 10:30 AM
My water usage up last couple months from 4500 to 5000 gallons to 6000 to 6500 gallons. In my area been in drought for about 7 weeks till last week.
Pairadocs
07-05-2024, 06:33 PM
Well sure BUT who got 2.5 inches of rain?
LOL, that's for sure, still looking for the 2.5. Sounds like a thinly veiled ad to me, especially knocking the premier brand by NAME yet. Wonder if the poster knows there are MANY other ways to stop an auto system without purchasing a thing....LOL !
Jim1mack
07-06-2024, 09:44 AM
Don’t tell anyone but when I go on my 6am walk when home's irrigation systems are running I take a pliers with me and adjust the heads that are spraying into the street and gutter. Just hate to see those rivers of irrigation water running down the gutters.
LeRoySmith
07-06-2024, 09:53 AM
Don’t tell anyone but when I go on my 6am walk when home's irrigation systems are running I take a pliers with me and adjust the heads that are spraying into the street and gutter. Just hate to see those rivers of irrigation water running down the gutters.
If I gave you my address would you walk by here?
Shipping up to Boston
07-06-2024, 10:06 AM
Don’t tell anyone but when I go on my 6am walk when home's irrigation systems are running I take a pliers with me and adjust the heads that are spraying into the street and gutter. Just hate to see those rivers of irrigation water running down the gutters.
And....we have a confession!
Freehiker
07-06-2024, 02:28 PM
I'm sure the 5 minutes was an exaggeration. My Rachio took almost 10 minutes to install and another 10 to program.
I just bought a new Rachio as well and will be installing tomorrow. This Hunter controller that the builder installed is garbage.
Freehiker
07-06-2024, 02:29 PM
Don’t tell anyone but when I go on my 6am walk when home's irrigation systems are running I take a pliers with me and adjust the heads that are spraying into the street and gutter. Just hate to see those rivers of irrigation water running down the gutters.
My yard has a slight slope to it so tons of water runs out into the street. It stinks.
jjdlad
07-31-2024, 10:57 AM
Over the past two months, I have been manually monitoring the rainfall and the irrigation system just to see how much savings there really was. Before that, my irrigation water bill was about $86 (17,670 gallons used) from May 10th - June 12th since we were in a drought and I was watering 3-4 times per week to "save the lawn".
I am using the Rain Drop app to monitor the amount of rainfall we have gotten over the past 24 and 72 hours. If the 72 hour number falls below about 0.5", I turn the irrigation system on to water the next morning at 3:00 AM. During the time between June 12th and today (July 31st), I have only had to water with the irrigation system 2 times. My water bill last month was about $19 (3,130 gallons used). It takes maybe 2-3 minutes every day to check the app and turn on/off the system in the gargage.
The rain sensor on the house does work if the rainfall is at least 1/4" but I noticed that it doesn't stay on for more than 1 day, so even if we get 3/4" of rainfall, the system will come on the next day if scheduled to since the rain sensor goes off. This is where the overwatering waste comes in to play. The Rain Drop app is free and you can set up a pin at your specific address to monitor the rainfall there (I am certain it uses local weather stations to predict the rainfall at my specific address, but it has been close enough so far). My lawn is green and lush so far using this method. I probably won't do it forever, but again I wanted to see what the real savings was by monitoring it manually versus relying on the system and the rain sensor to predict when the lawn should be watered.
I'm open to other ideas as well...
jrref
07-31-2024, 11:27 AM
Over the past two months, I have been manually monitoring the rainfall and the irrigation system just to see how much savings there really was. Before that, my irrigation water bill was about $86 (17,670 gallons used) from May 10th - June 12th since we were in a drought and I was watering 3-4 times per week to "save the lawn".
I am using the Rain Drop app to monitor the amount of rainfall we have gotten over the past 24 and 72 hours. If the 72 hour number falls below about 0.5", I turn the irrigation system on to water the next morning at 3:00 AM. During the time between June 12th and today (July 31st), I have only had to water with the irrigation system 2 times. My water bill last month was about $19 (3,130 gallons used). It takes maybe 2-3 minutes every day to check the app and turn on/off the system in the gargage.
The rain sensor on the house does work if the rainfall is at least 1/4" but I noticed that it doesn't stay on for more than 1 day, so even if we get 3/4" of rainfall, the system will come on the next day if scheduled to since the rain sensor goes off. This is where the overwatering waste comes in to play. The Rain Drop app is free and you can set up a pin at your specific address to monitor the rainfall there (I am certain it uses local weather stations to predict the rainfall at my specific address, but it has been close enough so far). My lawn is green and lush so far using this method. I probably won't do it forever, but again I wanted to see what the real savings was by monitoring it manually versus relying on the system and the rain sensor to predict when the lawn should be watered.
I'm open to other ideas as well...
I understand why you did this experiment but you should get a modern irrigation controller like the Rachio. It will pay for itself in 6 months and it will do everything you are doing manually and enjoy monitoring it.
Topspinmo
07-31-2024, 12:24 PM
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
So what brand name of the magical controller? I see water running down street drain for 20 minutes wouldn’t that be waste of water?
DonH57
07-31-2024, 02:00 PM
Don’t tell anyone but when I go on my 6am walk when home's irrigation systems are running I take a pliers with me and adjust the heads that are spraying into the street and gutter. Just hate to see those rivers of irrigation water running down the gutters.
You could check ours but we do run them the zones start at 3 in the morning. Haven't run ours in I don't know how long.
CoachKandSportsguy
07-31-2024, 04:23 PM
I have a Rachio and I tried letting it use the weather to adjust my schedule. I’m part time so not there to see every drop of rain. Well my lawn almost died and luckily my lawn guy said it wasn’t getting enough water.
The problem with the weather reports seem to be that it adjusts on the forecast and not actual rain. In addition to that, we all know that a neighbor 2 houses away can be getting a downpour while your house has nothing.
I put mine on a schedule and if I know we got a bunch of rain I’ll adjust. But I don’t always remember.
Same with a B-Hyve water controller linked to a forecast weather station. I reviewed the weather station forecast, and the rain in the forecast which the controller was showing wasn't anywhere near the forecast on the TV, and the TV forecast was correct, no rain.
I lost a lot of lawn from the weather forecast link not being accurate and eliminating watering when forecasted for weeks never materialized. I have my controller on manual to insure that the lawn is watered, rain or not. . and the water just goes back to the retention pond with some filtering, so its better for the wildlife which is dependent upon cleaner water.
so maybe the OP's observation and conclusion needs some re-work...
Eg_cruz
08-01-2024, 03:37 AM
It’s probably hard to except the concept, that TV is not just your village. We definitely didn’t get the 2.5” that rained on you. I have seen it rain across the prairie but not at our house.
Maybe you could stick with your small area, have a neighbor meeting, about helping your neighbors, instead of criticizing.
You could offer to switch their controller to a smart one. Which you posted is only 5 minutes to change. You could save the water usage for your neighbors. Then could educate on use, and do follow up monthly on how their system works. Because not everyone is going to understand the concept.
We have a smart irrigation system, that ran last week, my pool needs a top off, could you just send down the clouds, to take care of that? Oh and a rainbow would be a nice ending :a040:
We did get 2.5” in Sumter Landing. I drove across the Morse bridge and it was flooding. It was one of the fast and heavy rain I have drove in in awhile. 466 and Morse had flood waters so yes if you were in this area you got 2.5 inches
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